Bafana Bafana's Percy Tau was 'mentally broken' after the Africa Cup of Nations, according to his head coach Hugo Broos. Picture: Weam Mostafa/BackpagePix
Hugo Broos has said he left Percy Tau out of the Bafana Bafana squad for friendlies against Andorra and Algeria later this month, to protect the Al Ahly attacker from more criticism.
The Bafana head coach felt that Tau was affected by all of the criticism he received at the Africa Cup of Nations. Tau missed a penalty in the opening match against Mali and while he scored a spot kick against Namibia in Bafana’s next match, several other missed chances in the tournament saw the ‘Lion of Judah’ bear the brunt of plenty of social media attacks.
Bafana will play Andorra on March 21, and Algeria on March 26, with both games taking place at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiera.
Tau came in for criticism after the AFCON in the Ivory Coast even though Bafana exceeded expectations in finishing third at the tournament.
“At the end of the AFCON Percy was mentally broken,” said Broos, as he announced a 23-man squad in Johannesburg on Monday.
“But ok, we know social media can kill someone. I talked to him and he said it was not a problem but I knew it was a problem.
“I called him a week later and we talked and I told him I would not call him up. He said he wanted to come but I said ‘don’t come, stay there, until everything is calm’. If he comes and plays a bad game it will start again, that is why Percy is not with us. It is enough after the AFCON, he will be ready in June (for the World Cup qualifiers) And we will see a fresh Percy Tau.”
Tau is one of ten members of Bafana’s AFCON squad that will not be playing in these friendlies, for differing reasons. While Tau is being rested, the likes of Mothobi Mvala, Khuliso Mudau and Evidence Makgopa are out injured. AmaZulu goalkeeper Veli Mothwa and Orlando Pirates midfielder Thabang Monare, meanwhile, have not played much for their respective clubs.
Broos also said that he wanted to bring in some younger talent, with these friendlies the only real opportunity to take a look at fringe players in a busy year of qualifiers.
The main group of less experienced players in this squad are in the attacking department, with AmaZulu’s Mondli Mbanjwa, Pirates’ Patrick Maswanganyi and Sekhukhune’s Elias Mokwena given a chance to shine. Makgopa’s injury has meant that Broos has also called up Cape Town City striker Khanyisa Mayo, even though he was not in the provisional squad, named by Broos last week.